By Haddon Robinson, Our Daily Bread Author
Read: Joshua 24:14-25
The story has been told of a blacksmith who heated a piece of iron in the forge, not knowing what he was going to make. At first, he thought of shaping it into a horseshoe, but changed his mind. After hammering on the iron for a while, he decided to try to make it into something else. By this time, the metal was no longer malleable. Holding it up with his tongs and looking at it with disgust, the blacksmith tossed it into a vat of water. "Well," he shrugged, "at least I can make a fizzle (hissing sound) out of it!"
Joshua would have seen an important lesson in that story. He knew that a meaningful life must have a clear purpose. "Choose!" he urged his followers (Joshua 24:15). If you're not going to live for God, then decide against Him. If you are going to live for God, then let your life reflect that decision. But whatever you do, decide! Joshua made it clear that he and his family had made their choice to serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). For him, life was not and amusement park, but an arena where important decisions had to be made.
What about you? If you don't choose to trust Christ and serve Him, all you will have to show for the living of your days will be a loud fizzle.
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The story has been told of a blacksmith who heated a piece of iron in the forge, not knowing what he was going to make. At first, he thought of shaping it into a horseshoe, but changed his mind. After hammering on the iron for a while, he decided to try to make it into something else. By this time, the metal was no longer malleable. Holding it up with his tongs and looking at it with disgust, the blacksmith tossed it into a vat of water. "Well," he shrugged, "at least I can make a fizzle (hissing sound) out of it!"
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Joshua would have seen an important lesson in that story. He knew that a meaningful life must have a clear purpose. "Choose!" he urged his followers (Joshua 24:15). If you're not going to live for God, then decide against Him. If you are going to live for God, then let your life reflect that decision. But whatever you do, decide! Joshua made it clear that he and his family had made their choice to serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). For him, life was not and amusement park, but an arena where important decisions had to be made.
Picture posted by Validum Institute
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https://www.validum.edu.au/independent-vs-franchise-which-should-you-choose/
What about you? If you don't choose to trust Christ and serve Him, all you will have to show for the living of your days will be a loud fizzle.
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Joyfully enlisting
By Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord's side,
Savior, we are Thine. - Havergal
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Source (book): "Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Chapter 60, "A Loud Fizzle", Page 69.
By Haddon Robinson, Our Daily Bread Author
Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html
"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html
"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html
"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html
"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html
"Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon
Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part I - III (Links), posted on Wednesday, 09 December 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part.html
Reflection - Growing Old Gracefully, Part IV - V (Links), posted on Thursday, 22 April 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/12/reflection-growing-old-gracefully-part_9.html
"Teach Us to Number Our Days", © 2008 by David Roper
Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 1 - 40 (Links), posted on Tuesday, 16 November 2021
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2021/11/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-1-40.html
Reflection - Number Our Days, Chapter 41 - 64 (Links), posted on Wednesday, 16 March 2022
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2022/03/reflection-number-our-days-chapter-41.html
Reflection - He Walks with Me (Links), posted on Tuesday, 16 August 2022
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2022/08/reflection-he-walks-with-me-links.html
"Classic Gem: Timeless Devotions from Our Daily Bread Authors", Copyright © 2021 by Our Daily Bread Ministries
Reflection - Classic Gem, Chapter 1 - 45 (Links), posted on 03 April 2023
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2023/04/reflection-classic-gem-chapter-1-45.html
New International Version (NIV), Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Joshua 24:15 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+24%3A15&version=NIV
Matthew 11:28-29 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-29&version=NIV
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- https://godtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/shutterstock_1069268519.jpg
- https://godtv.com/time-to-choose/
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- http://wallpaperscristaos.com.br/christianwallpapers/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/me-my-household-serve-Lord-wallpaper_1366x768.jpg
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